By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Mortality in hospitals in the German border region has risen 4.4% due to a shortage of nursing staff related to migration to Switzerland, according to newly published research.

According to a study published on Monday, the researchers found "direct consequences" for German hospitals due to migration of nursing staff to Switzerland.

The research, carried out by the Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim and the IFO Institute in Munich, examined all inpatient hospital cases over the period from 2006 to 2017 in order to determine the effects of the shortage of skilled workers on mortality and life expectancy.

It noted that hospitals in the German border region lost around 12% of their qualified nursing staff while the number of patients per nurse rose around 10%.

The study also found that life expectancy fell by 0.28 years in the border regions, while it continued to increase in the rest of Germany.

It also said there was no positive effect in the Swiss border regions when it comes to life expectancy.